Mobility use cases: what is telling us the experience?

Last April on occasion of the International SAP Conference for Utilities in Berlin there were amazing presentations and workshops related with the usage of mobility to support Technical Asset Management processes. Content presentation triggered interesting discussions and helped to realize how relevant is mobility in the transformation of Asset Management processes into a new level of sophistication.

More than technical features and implementation challenges, sharing experiences have been the most interesting subject of discussion around mobility in an edition where impressive features have been introduced like the replication of work orders in smartwatches or the geo-enablement of Work Order processing. Here is a list of relevant use cases presentations

Contractors Control

This is the implementation of mobility application to improve control over work time spending on specific tasks coming from operations / order, especially when external suppliers are delivering the work and time spent in plant. Curiously, it has been the initial scope in many mobility implementations as it has a clear business case with large and easy to achieve operational benefits.

1.Enel-Slovenske Elektrarne use case for Power Plants

The selection of this business scenario is based both on the limited scope (information) to provide and replicate due to the fact that is managed by external resources and the benefits of having precise control of the location and timing of their activities. Figures on ROI are impressive when quantified. In addition, this application is usually perceived as a Proof of Concept for larger and more complex applications projects within the organization.

Transformation and improvement

Mobility is a key element to consider when Energy companies trigger business transformation programs for its Commercial and Operational processes leveraging innovative solutions and technologies. It enables to streamline core processes leading to standardization and operational efficiency and increase the services quality by improving business processes performance and flexibility in the areas of Planning, Scheduling and Execution

2.ACEA- use case for Distribution

These scenarios are of great complexity but also great return of investment. Besides the data quality and the reaction time dramatically reduced it can easily be able to identify additional savings and benefits such as Paperless process, Continuous monitoring, Less transfers and fuel consumption and Real time system update

Upgrade of the client version

While the adoption of mobile applications has been a regular process in energy companies during the last decade, renovating the existing mobile app has become an excellent opportunity not only to improve the existing assets but to avoid and solve issues faced during the previous implementation. Adoption of more robust, complete and standardized technologies to reduce risks and facilitate results whatever any mobile initiative demands is a major criteria for deciding which may be the new solution.

3.Enexis- use case

Main drivers for the change are the usability, the geo-enablement (GIS integration – maps, GPS), Increase & improve any connection information and changes in the detailed process management such as Worklists and routing responsibilities. Device renovation, such as ipad adoption, is also a relevant criteria. Business Cases from these improvements to quantify benefits and savings are also very much feasible.

Condition based maintenance

Understanding asset conditions for critical equipments is of major relevance in order to prevent its failure. The capabilities to collect measurements from the equipment performance in the field is often limited by the lack of sensors which produce such information. Therefore, mobile applications which enable the collection of measurements on regular basis to later replicate in the backend their informaiton for further analysis has become a critical success duty and a very relevant element in corporate maintenance strategies.

4.Rosatom – use case

As the example shows above, companies deploy these apps to their crews on regular duties, such as shift rounds in plants or substation inspection in the grid. CBM programs are easy to quantify benefits and operational savings.

This is just a snapshot, a summary of useful mobility use cases. There are more, some well known and others yet to discover. The irruption of smartglasses may be a game changer? Probably not, but will enable the set up and iprovement of new business processes in the field, like smooth access to safety instructions and complex structures documentation for field workers. As said, amazing times.